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Special Education Advisory Committee urges district to develop 18–21 transition program for students with modified diplomas
Summary
SEAC chair Barbara Neilans proposed a life-skills transition program for students graduating with modified diplomas to extend services through age 21; Work Unlimited offered job-coaching partnership; board discussed facilities, likely cohort size (4–7 students), and funding counted via ADM.
Barbara Neilans, chair of the district’s Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), asked the Philomath SD 17J board to support development of a transition program to serve students who graduate with modified diplomas through age 21. Neilans framed the proposal as a community-partnership opportunity that would teach independent-living and employment skills — for example, laundry, budgeting, transit use and on-the-job coaching — that many families and staff said students still need after high school.
Why it matters: Neilans said neighboring districts and programs (for example, Lebanon’s program) provide models for a small, community-focused transition program. Chris (identified in the meeting as employment manager with Work Unlimited) described services his organization could provide, including job coaching, community-based instruction, and a STEM/DIY program that could help with training and employment outcomes.
Funding and scale: Board members and staff estimated a small enrollment for the initial cohort — roughly 4–7 students at any given time — and noted that students in an 18–21 program count toward the district’s ADM (average daily membership) funding. The board discussed facility constraints and partnerships: possible local community sites and sharing arrangements were under consideration while a major facility change (bonding) would not be realistic until 2030.
Next steps: The SEAC and district staff will continue exploring service partners, possible host facilities, and program design, and will return with more concrete program and budget proposals. The board expressed general support and encouraged the SEAC to pursue partnerships and local options for starting programming sooner rather than later.
